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Working Too Hard Can Give You A Heart Attack
Or the emotional equivalent
If you’re old enough, you may remember the song “My Life” by Billy Joel. It was before my time, but it resonated with me.
One line from that song — “you know that working too hard can give you a heart attack-ack-ack”. I didn’t take that literally, but I did absorb the message — waiting too long to live your life might mean you never have a life at all.
From an experiential point of view, I’ve seen this play out in the lives of older friends I’ve had.
One of the most successful people I knew built his own business after coming home from the Korean War. Once his children had finished college, he focused more on living than making money. He sold his company with an agreement to continue as a part-time consultant. He gave a decent amount to each of his children, and then proceeded to enjoy himself.
He took a cruise to Alaska, climbed a glacier, took road trips and ate out with friends, and just generally enjoyed his life. He also paid for an annual 4-day fishing trip with his children and grandchildren.
I’ve also known friends that worked insane hours and never took vacations. They would tell me about the months of accrued time they’d never taken. Some of them died without ever doing any of the…
